The volume of investments in the chemical industry of the Nizhny Novgorod Region more than tripled over the past 5 years

More than 500 people have taken part in the forum‑exhibition “Chemistry of a Great Country. Dzerzhinsk”, which is being held on 26-27 May.

The event has brought together representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Regional Development Corporation, the Administration of Dzerzhinsk, the chemical industry, government bodies, the expert community and relevant public associations.

The key topic of discussion is the implementation of the national project “New Materials and Chemistry”, launched in 2025 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Yegor Polyakov drew attention to the fact that the chemical sector accounts for 10.5 % of the volume of the manufacturing industry. The volume of investments in this sector in 2025 amounted to 13.7 billion rubles, which is 5.8 % higher than the figures for 2024. Since 2020, investments in the chemical industry have grown more than 3.3 times.

“Technological independence of the chemical industry is a priority of state policy, and the new national project is a key tool for achieving it. What has been accomplished over the year of the national project’s implementation? First of all, a number of large high‑tech production facilities have been launched. These include, for example, Russia’s first industrial production of micronized silica gels and stable silica sols by the “Russilika” company on the territory of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) “Kulibin”. In addition, our companies are actively taking advantage of federal support measures under the national project: in 2025, Nizhny Novgorod enterprises received nearly 900 million rubles for developing new technologies for synthesizing chemical substances. An engineering center has been established at Lobachevsky University, providing a range of services for developing new materials for industry. In 2026, the Nizhny Novgorod Region was included in the list of pilot regions for advanced training of specialized personnel,” said Egor Polyakov.

The deputy head of the region emphasized that holding such forums makes it possible to understand the real needs of the industry.

“The success of the national project “New Materials and Chemistry” will depend on several key conditions. The first is the speed of the state’s response to business requests and the reduction of administrative barriers. The second is the development of industrial cooperation and a full‑fledged “enterprise – science – region – state” linkage. The third is the formation of a talent pool for the industry. And the fourth is the development of industrial areas such as Dzerzhinsk, where more than 250 large and medium‑sized enterprises and six federal‑level specialized research institutes are currently operating,” noted Viktor Ivanov, President of the Russian Union of Chemists.

In total, around 1 200 companies in the chemical industry operate in the region, employing about 18 000 people. The Nizhny Novgorod Region is one of Russia’s leaders in the production of ethylene and polyvinyl chloride — a third of all domestic PVC is produced here. In addition, the region is actively developing high‑tech low‑ and medium‑tonnage chemistry, including the production of ultra‑pure substances for microelectronics.

“The economic situation is not easy, but our chemists know how to deliver results despite competition and pressure. In the first quarter of 2026, production in the region’s chemical industry grew by 4.2 % compared to the previous year. Overall, it accounts for 10 % of the entire regional industry. Enterprises are developing and replacing imported products. Our main asset and source of pride is the special economic zone “Kulibin”, which has now become a magnet for investment. Attractive conditions have been created for residents: tax incentives are provided, and networks, roads, and utilities are being built. All this was laid out in the People’s Program of United Russia and is now being reflected in reality. After all, investments today mean growth tomorrow,” said Evgeny Lyulin, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and member of the United Russia party faction.

An exposition was also organized for the event’s guests, where chemical industry companies presented their cutting‑edge technological and digital solutions, equipment and materials.

The management company of the SEZ “Kulibin” is the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

“The forum has become a platform for discussing key issues for the domestic chemical industry. For our region, and for Dzerzhinsk in particular, the chemical industry is one of the foundational economic areas. In this context, special attention is paid to the SEZ “Kulibin”, which is now one of the best preferential sites in the country, as noted both by the expert community and by the high level of interest from investors. Furthermore, this year we have commissioned “Technopark H₂O” – a center for chemical research that will serve as a platform for innovative projects in the field of chemistry. Thanks to this, we can see how Dzerzhinsk is once again fully confirming its status as the capital of the domestic chemical industry,” noted Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

He added that currently 58 companies are residents of the special economic zone, planning to invest more than 164 billion rubles in their production facilities.

For reference, the forum‑exhibition “Chemistry of a Great Country. Dzerzhinsk” was organized by the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation, the Administration of Dzerzhinsk, the Russian Union of Chemists, the Association of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs “Dzerzhinskkhimregion” and the industrial agency H Media. The forum is being held with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the State Duma of the Russian Federation and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.